GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO TAKE URGENT ACTION ON AGRICULTURE

President Muhammadu Buhari has promise to strengthen the country’s agricultural sector and make concerted efforts to increase local food production to dampen escalating food prices.

In his address at the National Economic Council Retreat on the economy held at the State House Conference Centre, Presidential Villa, Abuja, President Buhari noted that food production in the country have become abysmally low and they require urgent action.

“Today, both the peasant and the mechanized farmers agree with the general public that food production and self-sufficiency require urgent government action. For too long government policies on agriculture have been half-hearted, suffering from inconsistencies and discontinuities. Yet our real wealth is in farming, livestock, hatcheries, fishery, horticulture and forestry.

“From the information available to me the issues worrying the public today are rising food prices, such as maize, corn, rice and garri; lack of visible impact of government presence on agriculture; lack of agricultural inputs at affordable prices, Cost of fertilizers, pesticide and labour compound the problems of farming. Extension services are virtually absent in several states; imports of subsidized food products such as rice and poultry discourage the growth of domestic agriculture; wastage of locally grown foods, notably fruit and vegetables which go bad due to lack of even moderate scale agro-processing factories and lack of feeder roads.”

These problems I have enumerated are by no means exhaustive and some of the solutions I am putting forward are not necessarily the final word on our agricultural reform objectives:
• First, we need to carry the public with us for new initiatives. Accordingly the Federal Ministry of Agriculture in collaboration with the States should convene early meetings of stakeholders and identify issues with a view to addressing them.

• Inform the public in all print and electronic media on government efforts to increase local food production to dampen escalating food prices.
• Banks should be leaned upon to substantially increase their lending to the agricultural sector. Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) should bear part of the risk of such loans as a matter of national policy.
• States should increase their financial support through community groups. The appropriate approach should be through leaders of community groups such as farmers cooperatives.
• Provision of feeder roads by state governments to enable more effective evacuation of produce to markets and processing factories.”
The president recalled that when he was a schoolboy in the 1950’s the country produced one million tons of groundnuts in two successive years. “The country’s main foreign exchange earners were groundnut, cotton, cocoa, palm kernel, rubber and all agro/forest resources.
“Regional Banks and Development Corporations in all the three regions were financed from farm surpluses. In other words, our capital formation rode on the backs of our farmers. Why was farming so successful 60 years ago? The answers are simple: access to small scale credits, inputs (fertilizers, herbicides etc) and Extension services. NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.

WE MUST GO BACK TO AGRICULTUREAS OIL REVENUE SHRINKS.

President Muhammadu Buhari has said Nigerians must stop paying mere lip service to agriculture, as crude oil and gas exports will no longer be sufficient as the country’s major revenue earner.

The president gave the charge at an audience with Kanayo Nwanze, the president of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), at the presidential villa, Abuja, on Friday.

“It’s time to go back to the land. We must face the reality that the petroleum we had depended on for so long will no longer suffice. We campaigned heavily on agriculture, and we are ready to assist as many want to go into agricultural ventures,’’ he said.

Mr. Buhari pledged that his administration would also cut short the long bureaucratic processes that Nigerian farmers had to go through to get any form of assistance from government.
He told the IFAD President that improvement of the productivity of farmers, dry season farming and creative ways to combat the shrinking of the Lake Chad will also receive the attention of his administration.

“There is so much to be done. We will try and articulate a programme and consult organisations like IFAD for advice,’’ he added.

According to the president, foreign exchange will be conserved for machinery and other items needed for production “instead of using it to import things like toothpicks’’.

Mr. Nwanze had earlier congratulated President Buhari on his victory at the general elections and assured him that IFAD was ready to give all possible assistance to the Federal Government and Nigerian farmers to boost agricultural production in the country.

Mr. Nwanze, who later spoke to State House correspondents, said IFAD had since 1985 been providing loans and grants in the nation’s agricultural sector to boost agricultural production.
“Nigeria has the largest portfolio of IFAD’s investment in Western and Central Africa and the second largest in Africa.

“But the case point here is that this country has all the endowments that it takes not only for it to produce enough food for its population but also to be the bread basket of region.
“And this is where my institution on my behalf, I offered our services and our support in the agenda of rural transformation as a key ingrate in this country’s economic and social development,’’ he said.
IFAD was established in 1978, and has been collaborating with Nigeria for over 30 years.
(NAN).

UPDATE1-DUPONT PROFIT BEATS ON STRONG SEED DEMAND.

April 25 (Reuters) - Chemicals and seeds producer DuPont
, which is merging with Dow Chemical Co, reported
a better-than-expected profit for the seventh straight quarter,
helped by a rise in seed sales.

DuPont has moved from selling its farm products to retailers
and distributors, focusing instead on selling directly to
farmers in the United States.

This pushed the timing of some seed sales to the first
quarter from the fourth.

Demand was also propelled by late-season seed demand in
South America and the planting of the largest combined corn and
soybean acres on record in the United States.

Operating earnings at DuPont's agriculture business rose 12
percent to $1.24 billion in the first quarter ended March 31.

Net income attributable to DuPont fell to $1.11 billion, or
$1.27 per share, in the first quarter, from $1.23 billion, or
$1.39 per share, a year earlier.

The latest quarter included charges of $36 million, while
the year-ago quarter included a $160 million gain.

Excluding items, operating profit in the latest quarter was
$1.64, above analysts' estimate of $1.39, according to Thomson
Reuters I/B/E/S. NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.

SNAIL FARMING

Snail farming is not a new concept. From the prehistoric age, human has been consuming snail meat because of its high rate of protein, iron, low fat, and including almost all the amino acid which is needed for human body. Basically snails originated from wild life they are considered as good food and source of nutrition. Snail farming has many kinds of benefits. If a person raise them and expects to get possible qualities, he has to care them properly. In the recent years snail farming increasing day by day and turns into a large scale from small cottage industry because of its real economic value.

Suitable Place and Soil

For snail farming an open pasture should select where suitable plants are grown for feed and shelter. Basically any kinds of shed are not used. At the time of selecting a site for snail farming the main concern should given to the prevailing wind that is essential to dry out the soil. A farmer have to concentrate to eliminate predatory insects and pests. For this reason soil analysis and ensuring growing leafy, green vegetable crops are urgent. It is said that friable soil with PH 5.8 to 7.5 and calcium contain soil is useful in this regards.

The soil structure should be light because clay soil is inappropriate for egg lying and moving. Besides, plants and snail should keep moist by night time dew, rain or collected misting. Snail can move more easily on moist, leaves and ground and that is why they can eat more and grow faster.Proper drainage system is necessary because no water should remain on ground in puddles. Rain water and collected irrigation is also important for snail farming. The place should be free from big tress so that no predatory and insects can grow and these tress give shade for the development of crops that hinders dew fall.

Size of Farm

Generally the size of a farm may be varied or depends on the category of grower. Cottage industry or the people who start from his hobby can utilize around 1000 to 2000 meters area. On the other hand, the people who start as a small business can use, average around 3000 to 10,000 squares meters area. If a farmer wants to start in a large scale, he has to take at least 2 hectors area and must increase this area with the increasing of his business up to 30 hectors.

Constructing a Snailery

There are different kinds of snailery can be built. In this regards, some factors have to take in consideration. Firstly, the snails stage of development and snails habit. The most important matter is that snailery must be an escape proof and be effective against predators and it permits easy entree to the trend snails. When a person wants to build a snailery, he must require some materials that are decay- and termite –resistant timber, such as Milicia excelsa (trade name- iroko); Nauclea diderrichii (trade name- opepe); Lophira alata (trade name – ekki), sandcrete  blocks; mosquito nets and polythene sheets. These types of materials are needed for each kinds of snailery that are mentioned below.

• Hutch boxes
• Trench pens
• Mini Paddock pens
• Moveable pens
• Free range pens
• 
  
  
  
  • Leaves: Cocoyam, kola, bokoboko, paw paw, cassava, okra, eggplant, loofa, etc.
  • Fruits: Pawpaw, mango, banana, pear, oil palm, fig tomato etc.
  • Tubers: Cocoyam, cassava, yam, sweet, potato and plantain.
  • Flowers: Oprono, odwuma and pawpaw.
  Types of Feed
• 
  Some studied show that A.achatina can utilize a wide range of feed items. Basically it prefers green leaves, fruits, tubers and flowers. Unlike other species it favors leaves and fruits which are separated from main plant. Snails prefer wet leaves to dry leaves. The recommended feed items are below.
  Feed Generally the most of the species of snail are vegetarian and they accept many kinds of feed. Different types of feed that is favored by the most investigated species, Achatina achatina, and the diet that is recommended to the farmers who is rearing this species, described here.
• 
  
  
  
  • Leaves: Cocoyam, kola, bokoboko, paw paw, cassava, okra, eggplant, loofa, etc.
  • Fruits: Pawpaw, mango, banana, pear, oil palm, fig tomato etc.
  • Tubers: Cocoyam, cassava, yam, sweet, potato and plantain.
  • Flowers: Oprono, odwuma and pawpaw.
  Types of Feed
  Some studied show that A.achatina can utilize a wide range of feed items. Basically it prefers green leaves, fruits, tubers and flowers. Unlike other species it favors leaves and fruits which are separated from main plant. Snails prefer wet leaves to dry leaves. The recommended feed items are below.
  Feed Generally the most of the species of snail are vegetarian and they accept many kinds of feed. Different types of feed that is favored by the most investigated species, Achatina achatina, and the diet that is recommended to the farmers who is rearing this species, described here.
• 
  
• Marketing
• 
  West Africa and west French are the two main areas of snails’ consumption in the world. In West Africa, Ghana, Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire are the main markets of snails. France plays a significant role in snails’ trade. Some of the snails are imported from French and exported to the European countries or North America. Annually, the USA alone about imports $200 million worth of snails. Other markets are Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Canada, Switzerland, Japan , Sweden, Austria, Denmark etc. and the main suppliers to these markets are Greece, Turkey, Rumania, Algeria, Tunisia etc.
• Diseases
• 
  It is recommended to the farmers that a hygienic environment of snails can prevent the spread of disease and improve the health and grow rate of snails. For example,   removing or replacing daily food to avoid spoilage. Farmer should add earthworms to the soil that helps to keep the pen clean and also have a concern about intestinal infections that causes for the bacterium Pseudomonas. Snails may be attacked by parasites, nematodes, trematodes, fungi, and micro arthropods when the populations of snails are dense. Careful consecrations have to for predators such as: rats, mice, moles, skunks, weasels, birds etc. NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

As both public and private enterprises gear up towards a return to the Moon and the first human footsteps on the Red Planet, there is a renewed focus on keeping people alive and productive in these extreme environments. Plants, and specifically crop plants, will be a major component of proposed regenerative life-support systems as they provide food, oxygen, scrub carbon dioxide, and aid in water recycling -- all in a self-regenerating or 'bioregenerative' fashion. Without a doubt, plants are a requirement for any sufficiently long duration (time and distance wise) human space exploration mission. There has been a great deal of research in this area -- research that has not only advanced Agriculture in Space, but has resulted in a great many Earth-based advances as well (e.g., LED lighting for greenhouse and vertical farm applications; new seed potato propagation techniques, etc.)
A recent article by Dr. Raymond M. Wheeler from the NASA Kennedy Space Center, now available in open access in the journal Open Agriculture, provides an informative and comprehensive account of the various international historical and current contributions to bioregenerative life-support and the use of controlled environment agriculture for human space exploration. Covering most of the major developments of international teams, it relates some of this work to technology transfer which proves valuable here on Earth.


The idea of using plants to keep people alive and productive in space is not new, both in concept and in scientific inquiry. The article covers a large portion of the historical international research effort that will be the foundation for many of the trade studies and mission design plans for use of artificial ecosystems in space.

Research in the area started in 1950s and 60s through the works of Jack Myers and others, who studied algae for oxygen production and carbon dioxide removal for the US Air Force and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Studies on algal production and controlled environment agriculture were also carried out by Russian researchers in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia beginning in the 1960s including tests with human crews whose air, water, and much of their food were provided by wheat and other crops. NASA initiated its Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS) Program in the early 1980s with testing focused on controlled environment production of wheat, soybean, potato, lettuce, and sweet potato. Findings from these studies paved the way to conduct tests in a 20 m2, atmospherically closed chamber located at Kennedy Space Center.


At about the same time, Japanese researchers developed a Closed Ecology Experiment Facilities (CEEF) in Aomori Prefecture to conduct closed system studies with plants, humans, animals, and waste recycling systems. CEEF had 150 m2 of plant growth area, which provided a near-complete diet along with air and water regeneration for two humans and two goats.

The European Space Agency MELiSSA Project began in the late 1980s and pursued ecological approaches for providing gas, water and materials recycling for space life support, and later expanded to include plant testing.


A Canadian research team at the University of Guelph started a research facility for space crop research in 1994. Only a few years later, they went on to develop sophisticated canopy-scale hypobaric plant production chambers for testing crops for space, and have since expanded their testing for a wide range of controlled environment agriculture topics.


Most recently, a group at Beihang University in Beijing designed, built and tested a closed life support facility (Lunar Palace 1), which included a 69 m2 agricultural module for air, water, and food production for three humans.


As a result of these international studies in space agriculture, novel technologies and findings have been produced; this includes the first use of light emitting diodes for growing crops, one of the first demonstrations of vertical agriculture, use of hydroponic approaches for subterranean crops like potato and sweet potato, crop yields that surpassed reported record field yields, the ability to quantify volatile organic compound production (e.g., ethylene) from whole crop stands, innovative approaches for controlling water delivery, approaches for processing and recycling wastes back to crop production systems, and more. The theme of agriculture for space has contributed to, and benefited from terrestrial, controlled environment agriculture and will continue to do so into the future. There are still numerous technical challenges, but plants and associated biological systems can and will be a major component of the systems that keep humans alive when we establish ourselves on the Moon, Mars and beyond.


According to Dr. Gary W. Stutte, NASA's principal investigator for several spaceflight experiments designed to grow plants in microgravity:Dr. Ray Wheeler has written a compelling and complete history of the people that have committed their careers to enabling the colonization of space. Drawing upon his deep understanding of the programs developed, people involved, and progress achieved to highlight the accomplishments and contributions of scientist and engineers around the world to bring the vision of space exploration to fruition, he details the problems, challenges, results and contributions from the programs, and reveals how they benefited Earth, as well as space. The review underscores that the answers will be achieved not through proclamation, but through collaboration between nations, cooperation between people, and sustained commitment by institutions. His article should be required reading for anyone with even a passing interest in the Space Agriculture." BY NASA.

COVER CROPS MAY BE USED TO MITIGATE AND ADAPT TO CLIMATE CHANGE.

Climate-change mitigation and adaptation may be additional, important ecosystem services provided by cover crops, said Jason Kaye, professor of soil biogeochemistry in the College of Agricultural Sciences. He suggested that the climate-change mitigation potential of cover crops is significant, comparable to other practices, such as no-till.

"Many people have been promoting no-till as a climate-mitigation tool, so finding that cover crops are comparable to no-till means there is another valuable tool in the toolbox for agricultural climate mitigation," he said.

In a recent issue of Agronomy for Sustainable Development -- the official journal of the French National Institute for Agricultural Research, Europe's top agricultural research institute and the world's number two center for the agricultural sciences -- Kaye contends that cover cropping can be an adaptive management tool to maintain yields and minimize nitrogen losses as the climate warms.
Collaborating with Miguel Quemada in the Department of Agriculture Production at the Technical University of Madrid in Spain, Kaye reviewed cover-cropping initiatives in Pennsylvania and central Spain. He said that lessons learned from cover cropping in those contrasting regions show that the strategy has merit in a warming world.

The researchers concluded that cover-crop effects on greenhouse-gas fluxes typically mitigate warming by 100-150 grams of carbon per square meter per year, which is comparable to, and perhaps higher than, mitigation from transitioning to no-till. The key ways that cover crops mitigate climate change from greenhouse-gas fluxes are by increasing soil carbon sequestration and reducing fertilizer use after legume cover crops.

"Perhaps most significant, the surface albedo change -- the proportion of energy from sunlight reflecting off of farm fields due to cover cropping -- calculated for the first time in our review using case-study sites in central Spain and Pennsylvania, may mitigate 12 to 46 grams of carbon per square meter per year over a 100-year time horizon," Kaye wrote.

"Cover crop management also can enable climate-change adaptation at these case-study sites, especially through reduced vulnerability to erosion from extreme rain events, increased soil-water management options during droughts or periods of soil saturation, and retention of nitrogen mineralized due to warming," he said.

Despite the benefits, Kaye is not necessarily advocating that cover crops be planted primarily for the purposes of climate-change mitigation or adaptation. Instead, he thinks the most important conclusion from his analysis is that there appear to be few compromises between traditional benefits of cover cropping and the benefits for climate change.

"Farmers and policymakers can expect cover cropping simultaneously to benefit soil quality, water quality and climate-change adaptation and mitigation," he wrote.
"Overall, we found very few tradeoffs between cover cropping and climate-change mitigation and adaptation, suggesting that ecosystem services that are traditionally expected from cover cropping can be promoted synergistically with services related to climate change. NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.

SCIENTISTS DISCOVER GENE THAT INFLUENCES GRAIN YIELD.

In a paper published April 18, 2017, in Nature Plants, a team led by Thomas Brutnell, Ph.D. Director of the Enterprise Institute for Renewable Fuels at the Danforth Center and researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute (DOE JGI), a DOE Office of Science User Facility, conducted genetic screens to identify genes that may play a role in flower development on the panicle of green foxtail. Green foxtail is a wild relative of the common crop foxtail millet. These Setaria species are related to several candidate bioenergy grasses including switchgrass and Miscanthus and serve as grass model systems to study grasses that photosynthetically fix carbon from CO₂ through a water-conserving (C₄) pathway. The genomes of both green foxtail and foxtail millet have been sequenced and annotated through the DOE JGI's Community Science Program.


"We have identified four recessive mutants that lead to reduced and uneven flower clusters," said Pu Huang, Ph.D., the lead author of the paper. "By ultimately identifying the gene in green foxtail we identified a new determinant in the control of grain yield that could be crucial to improving food crops like maize."


The grass Setaria has been proposed as a model for food and bioenergy crops for its short stature and rapid life cycle, compared to most bioenergy grasses. After constructing a mutant population resource for the grass, the Brutnell lab screened 2,700 M2 families, deep sequenced a mutant pool to identify the causative mutation and confirmed a homologous gene in maize played a similar role.
"Identifying this new player in panicle architecture may enable the design of plants with either enhanced or reduced panicle structures," stated Brutnell. "For instance, maize breeding has selected for reduced male panicles, also known as tassels, to reduce shading in the field while still producing sufficient pollen. However, grain yields in sorghum are directly related to the architecture of the panicle. By showing that this gene influences panicle architecture in Setaria and maize, we have expanded the tool box for breeders."


At the Danforth Center, plants hold the key to discoveries and products that will enrich and restore both the environment and the lives of people around the globe. Brutnell's lab research includes the search for the next generation of biofuels: alternative sources of energy that are affordable, sustainable and ecologically sound. The research develops novel computational tools and model systems to identify genes that will improve yield in crops through enhanced photosynthesis. BY DONALD DANFORTH.

HOW TO GROW A CASHEW TREE.

Cashew or Anacardium occidentale originates from the Caribbean Island and the North East of Brazil. But today it is grown in several other tropical parts of the world. Mostly in Africa, India and Southeast Asia for cashew nuts.

It is also called as cashew apple tree; it is part of the Anacardiaceae family, the same family that belongs to pistachio and mango.

Cashew tree can grow up to 6 – 12 m (20 – 40 f) high. Its evergreen leaves are oval, leathery and dark green. They have a prominent midrib.
The flowers, white and pink are gathered in inflorescence at the tips of young shoots. They are smaller in size but very fragrant.

As for the fruits of this tree, do not be fooled by appearances. The cashew apple is oval-shaped, like bell pepper: yellow, orange or red in color is a false fruit (it is also edible). The real fruit, more discreet is a nut attached to the end of the fake fruit. It is that which contains the edible kernel, which we called cashew.

How to Grow Cashew Tree from Seed

Cashew tree can be grown from seeds, air layering, and grafting. To propagate it from seeds, you will need a matured unshelled nut (seed). These seeds are viable up to 4 months.

If you have collected the fresh seed from the tree, dry it in the sun for 3 days and soak in water overnight before sowing.
Sow the seeds in good quality seed starting mix; the seeds will germinate anywhere from 4 days to 3 weeks.

Requirements for Growing Cashew Nuts Tree

Sun

Cashew tree needs at least 6 hours of direct sun, it grows slowly and doesn’t fruit if grown in the shade.

Soil

Cashew prefers poor sandy and laterite soil with the pH level around 5 – 6.5. Never grow cashew tree in a clay-rich soil. It is heavy and encourages waterlogging, and in the case of growing cashew tree, the soil you use should be well drained in a way that water will flow smoothly.

Water
Cashew trees are moderately drought tolerant once established, but they produce more fruits if watered regularly. During the summer, water weekly or twice and deeply. Reduce or withhold watering during winter. Overwatering can harm or even kill your cashew tree, so water only if soil is dry and let the soil to dry out between spells of watering.

FERTILIZER
Cashew tree needs regular application of fertilizer to grow vigorously and produce fruits. Use slow release fertilizer with N-P-K 8 – 3 – 9 according to the product instructions given on the packet, around the base of the tree every two months during growing season. Also apply compost or farm manure once in a year, around 30 pounds (15 kg) on the surface of the soil to a mature tree.

Cashew Nuts Growing Care

Pruning

Prune cashew trees regularly to remove weak, dead and entangled branches and branches that are infested with diseases or pests. Also, cut overcrowded branches to promote vigorous growth.

Mulching

Do mulching around your cashew tree with organic matters to prevent weeds and to conserve moisture.

Pests and Diseases

The cashew tree is generally pest free if it is in good health. Major pests that attack it are tea mosquito, stem and root borer, leaf Miner and blossom Webber.

Harvesting and Cashew Nut Processing

Harvest when cashew apples turn pink or red and cashew nut shell are gray. After harvesting, separate the cashew apple from the nut.

Cashew apple can be eaten raw or make juice of it. Unshelled cashew nut can be stored up to 2 years.
Do not attempt to break the shell before roasting; cashew shell contains very caustic oil which can burn skin.

When processing cashew nut at home must wear gloves and safety glasses and take special care. To learn more on how to process cashew

Cashew Nuts Growing Tips

• Sow fresh cashew seeds for germination, as they germinate easily.
• A tree grown from seeds take 3 to 5 years to produce its first fruits. Our recommendation is to buy a potted plant from a nursery, this way you’ll not have to wait that long.
• Choose a location that is well protected from the wind.
• Cashew grows better when the temperature remains around 80 degrees Fahrenheit (25 C) although it can withstand temperatures as low as 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 C) and as high as 105 Fahrenheit (40.5 C) without any problem.
• Keep the area around the base of your cashew tree free from weeds, small shrubs, vines, and debris.
• One of the most delicious and healthiest nuts cashews are an amazing source of nutrients, and not only the cashew nuts but its fruit cashew apple is nutritious too. It is a rich source of vitamin C, five times more than an orange. It also contains higher amounts of calcium, iron and vitamin B1, which is more than most of the fruits. To know more about the benefits of cashew nuts
  

  Benefits of Cashew Nuts

  Watch for sick or dead branches, prune them if necessary. NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.

CROSS RIVER SIGN AGREEMENT WITH CHINA ON SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

Cross River State government and Hunan province of China, have signed a sister-state agreement to partner in areas of manufacturing, construction, agriculture and education.

The Hunan 50-man delegation was received on arrival at the Margaret Ekpo International airport, Calabar, by the deputy governor, Prof Ivara Esu.

During the pact signing ceremony held at the State Executive chamber, Calabar, Governor Ben Ayade, said: “Hunan and Cross River must come together to form a new economic embrace that depicts cross-economy, culture, respect and prosperity to the two divides.”

Explaining that Cross River State remains the epicenter of tourism with a people highly moderated by their conduct and act, the governor charged the investors to “capture and explore the African market, take advantage of the 1.3billion Africa people waiting to buy your products by using Cross River as your base.”

In demonstration of the sister-states commitment, Ayade announced the donation of land for the establishment of China town in Calabar.

The governor said that Cross River also provides hospitality and create investors ambience for local and international investors.

“Open your hearts to the great businesses as we conduct you round. You are going to have great opportunities in pharmaceuticals, construction, infrastructure, agriculture, solid minerals, manufacturing and final end products. The opportunity is limitless and great, even as the landscape is illimitable,” the governor hinted.

Ayade, who said he was overwhelmed by the visit, further disclosed that “the first 50 investors that will come from Hunan to invest in the state will have land for free to establish their factories.”
Assuring the team of President Muhammadu Buhari’s interest in Cross River and his resolve to ensure that the various projects in the state were completed, the governor said: “We have the President of the country with us, he is ready to make sure that your investment in Cross River and indeed Nigeria is fully protected while ensuring that your investment in the country is also expanded.”

Earlier, Vice Governor of Hunan province in the Peoples Republic of China, Bao Xiang, explained that his team was in the state to not only get the pact implemented, but to ensure that the relationship between China and Nigeria got a boost.

Xiang who spoke through an interpreter disclosed that Hunan has over 73million people, located in the Central part of China with 210,000sq km of land, adding that “in 2016, the total GDP of the province was 430billion US dollars and after more than 30 years’ development, Hunan transited from traditional to a modern province.”

The vice governor explained that his team intended to go into agriculture, education, infrastructure development, manufacturing and cultural partnership with Cross River. He expressed the hope that the relationship between the sister-states will yield fruitful results that will tremendously impact on both countries. BY BABATUNDE AKINSOLA.

WEATHER AND OUTSIDE MONEY FLOW TO DIRECT CORN MARKETS NEXT WEEK.

Early on Friday morning, it appeared that fund selling was active once again. That selling took the July futures contract under the first chart support level, which then worked back above that level when the selling slowed. Looking back at Thursday's selling, we see that open interest increased by 22,000 contracts showing new sellers which many will be quick to attribute to fund activity.

Friday's noon weather maps continued to suggest active rains in the six- to 10-day outlook. Rains during that time frame have been in the forecast since Wednesday with little market reaction. If there were any changes in the noon update, it was increasing rains in the 11- to 15-day time frame. A combination of funds wrapping up their buying for the day along with these maps could have caused the move back to flat where July actually spent most of the day.

If Sunday night's maps are just as wet as in Friday's forecast, we can at least expect support in Sunday night trade. Once the day session starts Monday, it will become a combination of weather maps and seeing if funds return with selling once again. Short-term, we need to factor in fund activity equally with weather forecasts to determine direction next week. Long-term, we still have to figure that weather forecasts will determine the longer term direction of this market.

Bulls

• Bulls will be looking for Friday's weather forecast to continue into Sunday night suggesting slowed planting reports going forward.
• Bulls will need funds to move back to the sidelines, eventually funds will need to cover current short positions but that could be quite some time down the road.
• Monday's five-year average planting pace will be 16%. Bulls will want to see the planting pace come in at any amount under that level.

Bears

• Funds are by far still the #1 factor on the bearish side, even if Friday's COT report shows them adding to shorts there will likely be much more room before reaching record shorts of 229,000.
• Bears were likely happy to see recent lows taken out Friday and will want to see fall/winter lows of 357 1/4 taken out as well.
• If those lows are taken out the next (and last), chart support will be contract lows of 340 1/4. BY RICH NELSON